The 2012 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 2012 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 26 of the state senate's 50 districts—the 25 even-numbered state senate districts and the 49th district.Incumbent Republican Robert Bacon resigned halfway through his term, opening up an additional seat for election in 2012. Typically, only the 25 even-numbered seats would have been up for regularly scheduled elections in the 2012 cycle. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats up for election each cycle. This was the first election cycle following the 2010 census and 2011 redistricting process.
As a result of redistricting, many state senators were redrawn into new seats. This explains some incumbents being reelected, but into districts with new numbers following the redistricting process.
The primary election on June 5, 2012, determined which candidates appeared on the November 6, 2012 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here.
Following the previous 2010 Iowa Senate election, Democrats maintained control of the Iowa state Senate with 26 seats.
To reclaim control of the chamber from Democrats, the Republicans needed to net 2 Senate seats.
Democrats kept control of the Iowa State Senate following the 2012 general election as the chamber's partisan composition remained unchanged with 26 Democrats to 24 Republicans.
State Senator Pat Ward was running in district 22 when she died on October 15, 2012, less than a month before the general election.Pat Ward (District 30), an incumbent Republican, had been redistricted from district 30 to district 22 and was re-elected to district 22 posthumously. A special election on Dec. 11, 2012 saw her seat retained by the Republicans.Charles Schneider elected to Iowa Senate in special election to succeed deceased Senator Pat Ward.
Summary of Results NOTE: Only even-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for regularly scheduled election in 2012, so most of the odd-numbered seats are not included here. District 49 had a special election to fill a vacancy created by Senator Bacon's resignation. Also note, an asterisk (*) after a senator's name indicates they were an incumbent re-elected, but to a new district number due to redistricting. State Senate DistrictIncumbent PartyElected Senator Party 2nd Randy Feenstra Rep Randy Feenstra Republican 4th Jack Kibbie Dem Dennis Guth Republican 6th Merlin Bartz Rep Mark Segebart Republican 8th Mary Jo Wilhelm Dem Michael E. Gronstal*Michael E. Gronstal redistricted from district 50 to 8. Democratic 10th Jeff Danielson Dem Jake Chapman Republican 12th Brian Schoenjahn Dem Joni Ernst*Joni Ernst redistricted from district 48 to 12. Republican 14th Pam Jochum Dem Amy Sinclair Republican 16th Tom Hancock Dem Dick Dearden*Dick Dearden redistricted from district 34 to district 16. Democratic 18th Liz Mathis Dem Janet Petersen Democratic 20th Tim Kapucian Rep Brad Zaun*Brad Zaun redistricted from district 32 to district 20. Republican 22nd Steve Sodders Dem Charles SchneiderRepublican Pat Ward, incumbent state senator from district 30, had been redistricted to district 22. She died in October, but, as her name was already on the printed ballots, she 'won' the general election for district 22. A special election in December saw the seat retained by Republicans and assumed by new member, Senator Schneider. Republican 24th Jerry Behn Rep Jerry Behn Republican 26th Steve Kettering Rep Mary Jo Wilhelm*Mary Jo Wilhelm redistricted from district 8 to 26. Democratic 28th James A. Seymour Rep Michael Breitbach Republican 30th Pat Ward Rep Jeff Danielson*Jeff Danielson redistricted from district 10 to district 30. Democratic 32nd Brad Zaun Rep Brian Schoenjahn*Brian Schoenjahn redistricted from district 12 to district 32. Democratic 34th Dick Dearden Dem Liz Mathis*Liz Mathis redistricted from district 18 to 34. Democratic 36th Paul McKinley Rep Steve Sodders*Steve Sodders redistricted from district 22 to district 36. Democratic 38th Tom Rielly Dem Tim Kapucian*Tim Kapucian redistricted from district 20 to district 38. Republican 40th James F. Hahn Rep Ken Rozenboom Republican 42nd Shawn Hamerlinck Rep Rich Taylor Democratic 44th Thomas G. Courtney Dem Thomas G. Courtney Democratic 46th Gene Fraise Dem Chris Brase Democratic 48th Joni Ernst Rep Dan Zumbach Republican 49th Hubert Houser Rep Rita Hart Democratic 50th Michael Gronstal Dem Pam Jochum*Pam Jochum redistricted from district 14 to district 50. Democratic
Source:
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Governing | October 24, 2012
Detailed Results District 2 • District 4 • District 6 • District 8 • District 10 • District 12 • District 14 • District 16 • District 18 • District 20 • District 22 • District 24 • District 26 • District 28 • District 30 • District 32 • District 34 • District 36 • District 38 • District 40 • District 42 • District 44 • District 46 • District 48 • District 49 • District 50__NOTOC__ Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).
District 2
District 4
District 6
District 8
District 10
District 12
District 14
District 16
District 18
District 20
District 22
Senator Ward died less than a month before the 2012 general election and, since the ballots had already been printed, won this election after having already deceased. A special election was held due to these circumstances.
District 24
District 26
District 28
District 30
District 32
District 34
District 36
District 38
District 40
District 42
District 44
District 46
District 48
District 49
District 50
Source:
See also United States elections, 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2012 Elections in Iowa
References